***Entry 256***
Thursday, December 5, 2002
02:15 p.m.
You *Need* to Read This
If you read my site often and wonder which links are worth checking out, this one is more than worth a shallow glance. To simplify the argument the author makes to a "why the left is so fixated on the [completely irrational] political/revolutionary implications of 9-11" is to see the trees and not the forest. There's so much more to it. Here's a very brief example:

For 9-11 to be world-historical in this sense, it would have to contain within it the seeds of a gigantic shift in the order of things: something on the scale of the decline and collapse of capitalist America and with it the final realization of the socialist realm.
But this investment of world-historical significance to 9-11 is simply wishful thinking on the part of the left.

Go read the article. If I run into you in the next couple of days I definately will want to discuss this with you. Be prepared.

***Entry 255***
Thursday, December 5, 2002
01:35 p.m.
Brief thoughts about community
There's a misguided defination of visionary as anyone who has an idea. Being a visionary requires a practical approach to making your idea into reality. This is simply not the case for the folks up in Takoma Park struggling to get the community space they call the Electric Maid open. Although there are several problems with the space itself--it's out of the way, it's falling apart, it smells a little funky--the major problem is the method of decision making used.

Oh yes, the Electric Maid organizers use consensus process.

The organizers wonder [publically] why their meetings are poorly attended. Could it be that consensus process creates de facto hierarchies and stifles community building? Hmm...maybe? Could it be that consensus process is too lengthy for most people to participate? Hmm...maybe? Could it be that when there's conflict, consensus process creates a dichotomy of stagnation or manipulation, rather than progress? Hmm...maybe?

A community can be created without heat and amenities. A community can not be created when the decision making process impedes full participation. It may be simplier for the Electric Maid organizers to blame the weather than to blame their outmoded, anti-visionary decision making idealism.

***Entry 254***
Thursday, December 5, 2002
01:15 p.m.
Snow in the City
Okay, I admit it. I'm thrilled that it really snowed. This is not just because I stayed out too late and really wouldn't have been capable of attending class today anyhow, but because the snow is really kinda pretty. I forgot how much *fun* snow is if you don't have to go anywhere.

The advantages of living in the city are more apparent when the whole metro area is covered in that nice fluffy white stuff. Suburbanites risk injury to themselves and/or their cars if they venture out of their homes. City dwellers are not stuck inside; they have the train and their feet.

On the other hand, at least the suburban school districts called off school before the students arrived for the day. DCPS, in another example of complete stupidity decided at 8am to cancel classes for the day. It's too easy to blame incompetence on the overarching bureaucracy that controls DC sometimes. I think DC is simply filled with inept "public servants" that have difficulty making quick decisions.

I'm wondering how long it will take the city to clear my little block of the snow. I may be able to walk around and take the train, but at some point, I'm going to have to drive back into the suburbs...but not before I go sledding!

***Entry 253***
Wednesday, December 4, 2002
10:10 p.m.
So, how did you find me? #2
The strange hits just keep comin'...
1. Bad Political Campaign Website Critique. Regular readers of the site know that I discuss all these topics, but I've never written a critique of a bad political campaign website? Hmm...maybe that could be my new job. If someone is searching for it...that means there might just be a market for this kind of work...Hmm...
2. And now...the strangest hit I've ever gotten. [I have reason to believe it is a joke.] Zoe Mitchell fetish. Eww...I hope it was a fetish for the various other Zoe Mitchell's out there and NOT me!

***Entry 252***
Wednesday, December 4, 2002
12:17 p.m.
Happy Cliches
"If something you make is like a child," he says darkly, "there were a lot of people who would have liked to have seen it dead." --Baz Luhrmann from this Post piece.

***Entry 251***
Wednesday, December 4, 2002
11:51 a.m.
So, How Did You Find Me?
The toenail pals just keep hitting my site, but thankfully, they've been joined by some more interesting searches.
1. A dogpile meta-search forZoe Mitchell. This dogpile thing is neat. It allows you to see the top five results from several search engines. It doesn't really matter 'cause google's has the best "zoe mitchell" info.
2. "Stilleto Ghetto". Whatever that means?
3.A translation of the Belle and Sebastian song "Le Pastie de la Bourgeoisie." Last week, I mentioned that I don't know of any solid translation.
4. All these weird searches for just zoe. Are they looking for me? Or just finding me with all the other zoes?

***Entry 250***
Tuesday, December 3, 2002
10:03 p.m.
Vomit: Simply Ridiculous
When Cyndi Lauper is the inspiration for something, it's just gotta be awful. This article seemingly proves that with this nonsense:
To be sure, when I showed up one Thursday for Manicure and Martini night, all bedraggled and cranky, the girls knew exactly what to do: They handed me a candy-sweet cocktail and showed off their sparkly nails. Sometimes you just want to skip the shop talk and discuss, say, the finer points of waxing.
"No man can know what it's like to be a woman. They don't know what it feels like to find a lump in your breast, or have menstrual cramps, or have someone hit on you at work in a suggestive way," said Traeder. "It's a whole different kettle of fish. But with a woman, it's instant empathy."
Awful is an understatement. This is clearly vomit inducing.

***Entry 249***
Tuesday, December 3, 2002
09:21 p.m.
Oh no! Snow!
My housemate, Chris Strohm, states that the weather reports re: snowfall in the DC metro area are nearly *always* wrong. However, an 80% chance of snow and a winter storm watch between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon does not bode well. I have less than two weeks left of my undergraduate career. I'd actually like to attend my Thursday classes. Additionally, I'd like to work on Thursday and drive back into the city. Besides, I just *hate* snow.

***Entry 248***
Tuesday, December 3, 2002
09:05 p.m.
Beyond the Holiday "Spirit:" Money, Jobs and Family Flaws
I apologize for the plethora of personal posts lately; I've been a little more self-centered than usual. It's the whole graduation, gotta get a job, gotta get my life in order kinda problem. I'm hoping to reverse that [slightly] in the blog roundup.
1. ChuckO returns to the blog with two great entries. The first is multifacited, but deals with the whole job search scenario. Since I've been considering temping if I can't find a "real job," it is interesting to know the what greater implications of skilled, educated individuals taking unskilled jobs. ChuckO's on to something: the more skilled individuals taking jobs from the unskilled, the more society is destabilized.
The second entry, he posts is on the high price of books compared to other forms of entertainment. ChuckO argues that book publishing is not a high-profit endeavor and that most books are not overpriced. I significantly increased the size of my nominal personal library while doing the research for "A Critique of Consensus Process." It cost a large amount of money, but owning the books is worth far more than any past sushi dinner or movie rental.

2. Julian posted this piece about "Atheist Thanksgivings" a couple of days ago, but I never got around to writing on it. My family *actually* continues to pray at Thanksgiving and each year they force me to participate in a horrid little ordeal where we go [cheesy mom voice emerges...] around in a circle and all give thanks for our blessings. As an agnostic, I generally thank my friends and other people who are worthwhile individuals [although sometimes I thank inanimate objects, like my car]. The other members of my family continue to thank God. It's annoying, but we've reached an classic impasse. They can't convince me that God is responsible for their good lives--let alone that a deity exists. And I can't convince them that faith in humanity doesn't lead to disillusionment, when humans act arbitrarily. At the very least, Thanksgivings at my family's house are strangely entertaining.

3. Clarissa has a fabulous essay about the absurdity of the over-hyped "Buy Nothing Day." She's absolutely right about Buy Nothing Day--it is another excuse for some misguided people to claim that they are better than you because they avoided shopping *one* day of the year. The only nominal issue I have with her piece is that she claims Buy Nothing Day is good in theory. Actually, if one argues that practicing anti-consumerism on a daily basis is a better approach than Buy Nothing Day, then one should be theoretically opposed to a one day observation of anti-consumerist tendencies because it is in a sense a reformist approach. I agree with her analysis though and am happy to say that on Friday--I bought gas to head back into the city and sushi once I got home. Am I becoming a capitalist or what?

And the link: My family and friends aren't likely to be getting any "holiday" presents this year since I'm broke [must be the sushi expenditures]. Although if I find a job immediately, they may get New Year's presents...*sigh* It's all about me anyhow.

***Entry 247***
Tuesday, December 3, 2002
02:50 p.m.
Final Edits
I've got four points left to address in my final edit of "A Critique of Consensus Process." It's strange to think that a project that I have spent more than a year working on is *so* close to being finished, *really*. I've been debating for a while whether publishing it on the DC IMC will delegitimate it. I don't want my incredibly serious scholarly work to be denigrated by being surrounded by nonsensical poetry and/or arbitrary rants. However, since I have dedicated "A Critique of Consensus Process" to the DC IMC, I think that I have an obligation of sorts to put this project to the public there.
This is an awful analogy...It's almost as if "A Critique of Consensus Process" is my child. I'm afraid to let it out into the public, where it may be attacked by others or ignored by an undereducated populace. But, I wrote it to be useful for groups like the DC IMC--not to be a display of my researching/writing ability for academia alone. I know I've been alluding to it for *so* many months now...but in a few weeks, "A Critique of Consensus Process" will be facing the public eye via the DC IMC newswire.

***Entry 246***
Tuesday, December 3, 2002
02:07 p.m.
Endless Speculation
It seems that everyone is talking about Mass Sen. John Kerry and his all but inevitable presidential run. Call me *super* idealistic, but I'm pulling for Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, whose "Dean for America" slogan follows on the whole "Bartlet for America" slogan of the West Wing. And then of course, Dean's stance on serious issues are oh-so-similar to those esposed on that amazing television show.
More than half of me wants to be kickin' it in Manchester, NH again soon...I can't help but want to work for a candidate I actually believe in. TB, or "true believerism" as noted in Primary Colors is a curse to political consultants. It delegitimates them...but whatever. Sometimes, it too is inevitable.

***Entry 245***
Monday, December 2, 2002
10:47 p.m.
Vanity Alert!: [Nominal] Web Travels #4
Just to make sure the "Zoe watch squad" is perked up for this excursion into the Zoe file known simply as "Another Reason Why I am Cooler than You." [Friends can laugh incessantly at this one...The rest of you can try to parse the meaning. I'm writing for myself these days...] Anyhow...Joanne posted the link to this article about the mysterious Chinatown busses. *Hello.* I've known about this phenonemon for *months* via Andrew Kennis and have been telling *all* my friends. Yep, I'm one of *those* people. ha ha ha. Gosh, I'm silly these days.

***Entry 244***
Monday, December 2, 2002
10:03 p.m.
I'm Going to Laugh at Your Revolution!
Ohh...the Revolutionary Communist Party [RCP] folks have put out some *seriously* entertaining propaganda criticizing those [such as myself] who *dare* to criticize the communists/socialist/revolutionaries/yawn that are attempting to control the anti-war movement by organizing the large rallies that mobilize a bunch of misguided Americans.
I've gotta admit that I laugh everytime I read something that claims that Chairman [whoever] in the "party" newspaper states definatively:"Imagine the inspiration it will provide and the potential realignment it will contribute to--with ordinary people worldwide finding common cause against the oppressors and bullies of the world, first and above all the rulers of America--who, it will be more and more clear, do not speak and act in the interests, or in the name of large, and growing, numbers of American people themselves."

Ha ha ha...You Chairman [whoever], do NOT speak for my anti-war views. I don't care how much your little propaganda machine produces drivel like this:
It is all too fashionable for cynical verdicts about how "revolution is worse than the social ills it attempts to cure" to cover for lack of any serious discussion about real problems confronting oppressed classes taking history into their hands. How convenient that such claims coincide with the prevailing verdicts of the official ideology of the very people who profit from global sweatshops and send arms to disgusting regimes all over the planet.

Cynical? About what? The chances of the "revolution" bringing anything but *tyranny* upon the people as has been the case in *every* historically documented revolution? And then to claim that by having an anti-revolution perspective=profiting from sweatshops? Oooh, I have been guilty of some convoluted logic at times, but *this* is beyond irrational: Part of their political objective is really to get us to water down the message so that it means nothing. And to those people we have to say: Don't tell us you have to cut off our arms and legs to make our movement more powerful. Hmmm...How would you raise your fists? I can't help but laugh.

Come the revolution, y'all [armless/legless] RCP folks will be chanting dogmatically: Live for the People...Die for the People...Sleep for the People...Smell like the People... [or whatever]. Rest assured, I will be laughing in exile.

***Entry 243***
Monday, December 2, 2002
09:49 p.m.
Humor Time
This may not be totally political, but it is truly funny. Someone in DC IMC-land has created a "Greatest Hits" listing of various comments from the militaristic DC IMC troll "Soldier." Personally, my irrational/misspelled fav is: "I've never broken a law during my time with the military. On the other hand, I know a hell of a lot of civilians who break all kinds of laws all the time, as I have while I was a civilian, and when I'm not on duty. If you're refering to killing people, that's not against the law. Civilians killing eachother is. Soldiers murderign civlians is. But soldiers killing eachother isn't against any law I've ever heard of. So please, enlighten me, which laws are we breaking?" I *can't* stop laughing. ha ha ha...

***Entry 242***
Monday, December 2, 2002
08:05 p.m.
Excuses, Excuses
Honestly, since so many of my blogging friends have been off their blogs this past weekend, I shouldn't try to legitimate my extended absence. I will state that I've had far too much on my platter to deal with blogging. [And then of course, there is the fact that 942 is currently PC deprived.]
Anyhow, a brief update of sorts for the [new/old] friends who have been wondering if I have headed out into oblivion professionally...or have merely skipped out of town again. And then, I will return to the political blogging...
1. The incessant writing: The day before Thanksgiving I sent back the second-to-last version of "A Critique of Consensus Process." I'm working on the *final* version now that I've received the *final* commentary. I've achieved an equilibrium of sorts: I'm thrilled that I'm almost done, but worried about the implications of finishing. [Finishing this means my undergraduate career is *over.* yi.] *sigh* Will I ever relax?

2. The incessant reading: This weekend, I finished three books: Simone de Beauvoir's fabulous feminist tract The Second Sex, Joel Garreau's strangely flattering version of [post]suburbia Edge City and Betty Friedan's suprisingly tolerable The Feminine Mystique. If you are looking for reading suggestions, I'd pick The Second Sex over The Feminine Mystique if only because de Beauvoir's work is more theoretical. And, I'd suggest reading the *brilliant* multifacited critique of modernism/suburbia that is Suburban Nation over Edge City, even if Suburban Nation partially legitmates gentrification.

3. The [nominally] incessant socializing: As alluded to above via [somewhat misguided] links, I spent quite a lot of time at Art O Matic because it was ending. Jill and I spent all day Sunday lamenting the loss of such a fabulous event. If you missed it, you should be ashamed of yourself. It was the *best* artistic event in the city and it was heavily promoted on this blog and other blogs. Also, I hit the final Art O Matic showing of Washington Interns Gone Bad. If you missed seeing this [nearly classic] DC-oriented film, you should also be ashamed of yourself.

So that's the update, political blogging will resume shortly. Thanks for your time.

***Entry 241***
Saturday, November 30, 2002
07:25 p.m.
Vanity Is a Virtue Or, More Good than Harm
I've been getting a lot of hits through this reposting of the entry below about my social circle and the amazing talents of my friends. By placing the lyrics, "you're so vain..." as the context of the reposting, "Dr. Who" attempts to undermine my intentions. I've replied back to him in the comments section of the site.
For all the readers coming here after reading that post, I can only thank you for being skeptical of "Dr. Who" and seeking your own analysis for the posting in question. You are the people who make the indymedia concept come alive. Questioning everything is only a small part of the puzzle. Researching, interpreting, evaluating and coming to your own conclusions is *far* more important. Good luck. I hope you find what you are looking for.

***Entry 240***
Friday, November 29, 2002
01:43 p.m.
Whoa, This is *Late*
Yep, I haven't written this week's West Wingreview yet. I kind of feel like I shouldn't write about this week's episode because it is so late, but it's almost become a tradition for me now. The new "week" doesn't start officially until the West Wing is analyzed. [Although, that doesn't really count in weeks, like next week, where there isn't a new West Wing episode.]So...Chris Strohm and I watched the West Wing together on Wednesday and determined that there were two themes that were interrelated: one was the chain of command and the other was how best to get your message across.

First, the Chain of Command: The whole Vickie Hilton issue was clearly the predominant way the chain of command appeared. However, there was the whole cheesy element of the male staffers hearing from their girlfriends/wives/etc about the Vickie Hilton issue, all hoping that the men would *communicate* with the President. And then there was the secondary issue of the UN Secretary-General and NYC parking tix...

Second, the Communication: I've broken this down into some little categories, that may or may not be useful.
Barriers to Communication #1: Donna wants to know if Jack Reese likes her. She asks Josh to help her find out. Josh tells Jack about Donna's silliness. Yes, this was *far* too cheesy for the West Wing.
Barriers to Communication #2: Toby can't write a solid Second Inaugural Speech. He can't work without Sam. Sam sends Will Bailey [who is great!]. But...this is also related to...
Presidential Communication: Toby uses a bunch of statistics. Will Bailey uses Pop Culture references. Which is the best way to communicate with the mass public? Well, given that Toby asks Will to stop reading his speech...I guess the pop culture references win out. But, it was unclear.
At the very least, this episode set up some of the new dynamics of the lame duck Bartlet administration. It will be interesting.

***Entry 239***
Friday, November 29, 2002
01:32 p.m.
Finally, Something Somewhat New: Web Travels #3
I've become a big fan of this Arts & Letters Daily thingy. It's quickly become one of the few sites I visit daily. Anyhow, having been absent from the internet for a couple of days now, I just read this piece from the New Yorker about the value of little social groups.
A couple of years ago, Elizabeth Croydon, of Washington Interns Gone Bad fame, made the prediction that someday our little insular group of friends was all going to suddenly be famous. I think that prediction is completely viable. If you read/look at the websites of *My Arbitrary Associates [esp. the DC ones, who are actually a part of a *live* *personal* social circle, rather than on line. ...] you can see that my friends are all talented writers, musicians, artists, etc. And, undoubtably we all influence each other profoundly.